The present invention pertains to surgical instruments, and more particularly pertains to those surgical instruments used in laparoscopic surgery.
There are many surgical instruments heretofore proposed. A great variety of those surgical instruments, such as saws, clamps, scissored cutters, forceps and the like, these same instruments are required for laparoscopic surgery. However, each of these instruments must be provided with the same functionality at the end of an elongated rod or shaft many times longer than the conventional instruments, e.g., 10 to 28 inches (25 to 75 centimeters).
The instrument must also be actuable by a handle at the end opposite the instrument. Heretofore, such instruments have bad handles and actuators on the handle which are unique to the instrument. Additionally, some of the handles and actuators are ergonomically designed for right handers but are clumsy and not convenient to use by left handers. Since laparoscopic surgery requires precision and accuracy throughout the surgical procedure, any clumsiness of the instrument or any feature which renders the instrument not convenient to use is not desirable.
It is therefore highly desirable to provide improved instruments for laparoscopic surgery.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved family of instruments for laparoscopic surgery which are actuable by like handles such that each instrument of the family has the same feel to the surgeon.
It is also highly desirable to provide an instrument for laparoscopic surgery which has an improved actuator and an improved handle.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved family of instruments for laparoscopic surgery each of which has like handles and like actuators such that each instrument of the family has the same feel to the surgeon.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved instrument for laparoscopic surgery which can be equally conveniently used by both right handed surgeons and left handed surgeons.
It is also highly desirable to provide an improved instrument for laparoscopic surgery which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, can be easily cleaned, disinfected and autoclaved, if necessary.
It is finally highly desirable to provide an improved instrument for laparoscopic surgery having all of the above desired features.